Last 12 Weeks

This is it! Sprint all the way.

Long time no type!  Hey!!!

• Finally, rich, effective, powerful short lessons.  We are teaching now about 30 lessons per week to hungry, wonderful souls.  
• Lives are dramatically, and truly changing.  Marriages being restored, healed, made eternal. 
• Making good progress in the Comprehensive Hindi Language Book for all the missionaries that will ever come through this mission after me.  15,000 verb and verb forms noted down!  This will be a groundbreaking breakthrough--the first real book on the Fiji-Hindi Language
• Saints pouring in!  7 people are full strong in serving in capacities in the Wards here
• Focus just on those TRULY INTERESTED, give them priority

Wonderful other Faiths we are teaching are LOVING the Book of Mormon.  They share with us that the writers of the Bible got Christ's divinity wrong, and we are deceived about Christ.  Then we ask them if they have ever heard of the Book of Mormon, and explain it's role and effect on our personal lives.  They brighten up and open the book, happy!  

What would we do without the Book of Mormon?  

We would be SO lost!!!

This week, we were led to a woman whom we gave a copy to. She immediately began reading it.  She read the entire first chapter out loud.  We explained the Introduction.  We showed her how Joseph prayed and was answered, and God would answer her.  She knelt down, pressed the book to her chest and closed her eyes with her husband.  She prayed, and waited for the answer.  The Spirit was strong!  They were aglow when we told them about Christ's Church  It was so special!! They promised they will come this Sunday! 

• We had 9 of the people we are teaching come to church this past Sunday... they all came an hour early!  We arrived and there they were!!! We were delighted!  They came completely on their own as families, and felt the peace of the Chapel.   

One of my favorite moments:  Our Returning Member, Aveline, was called up to the podium by Bishop, and sustained in Full Fellowship and bore her testimony for the first time in front of everyone!  She went from learning and getting, to now being the teacher and giver of the Ward!  She fellowships Hindi Sisters that come in, and encourages them to the fold.  She was Less Active for so many long and hard years.  It makes me cry as I type this... to glorify my Savior for what He has done for this precious daughter!!

It is because of people like her that I say, "The Lord blessed me with the deepest prayer of my heart: Extension."  Not going home till November.


You only know something's worth, by working for it.
You only know someone's worth, by serving them.
You only know your worth, when you take time to realize how God serves you.

This week, it really clicked even deeper that we FIND the Lord in the serving of His Children 

BECAUSE

that is WHERE He is. We find only if we lose, we lost only if we keep!  President Layton, this Gospel is the most beautiful thing in the world..s!!!!!

Elder Tony's last day... such a beautiful time!  He is so pure.  Oh, he's one of the purest in the mission.  So humble, so meek, so willing, so peaceable, so loving, so selfless, so full of dignity.  We had a wonderful time writing to each other and hiding gifts for each other.  We had sweet last moments in the work, having fun, and saying goodbyes.  He really loved Nadi, and wrote in the Area Book, showed me the last few locations to know, bore his last testimony and wishes to the Saints, and left happy and ready.

Elder Mokie's first day... we missed each other! This Elder is from PNG!  He and I met a year ago.  There was no adjustment to make--we already click!  He smashed out 16 powerful lessons in 3 days.  We love working together!  Haha.  He is such a gentle, good natured Elder! 

We now have a car.  It is the same car I used to drive.

This is a beautiful day.

It is AMAZING to have perfect click with the Holy Ghost's voice. God waits for us to listen, not the other way around. I know when He's speaking to me.  I know that feeling--and it's right every time!!! President, it is just like President Monson said, "To act on a prompting and later find out it was the answer to someone else's prayer," nothing in life is sweeter.  It is REAL.  I know that when we tune to acting on good, that frequency will grow more natural, and the static will fade. 

More next week! 

Love, 
Elder Howard

You ARE Eternity Changing

बुला विनका !

How are YOU?

Written in my Journal from the last 19 minutes being 19 the day before my Birthday: "It is a very prayerful moment.  A special stepping stone; milestone of millennia it took me to travel forward thus far.  I am now to focus and rise and put away all that isn't fully Christ. For i am now 20.  An age of greatness, service, solidifying and building what will determine every year after in my life and posterities lives that will ever happen.  The next 20 years, like the past 20, are in my Father's hands.  This marks the greatest chapter of my life yet."

My teen years are forever behind me.  20 Years Old as of the 27th.  It is a new dawn, the best and grandest chapter of the book of my life yet written, because these chapters are ALL about Christ. Nothing can or will ever be the same.  I am ready for all adulthood, and am fully undaunted by the mission I have to fulfill in this life. I am empowered.

Just Some Highlights of the Week:
Gave away literally 1000's of invites to the Temple

Taking literally 100 people through the Temple

I finished training with Elder Datoon, and got transferred and now have a new Companion

I am now District Leader of a very large district of 8 Elders

Have arrived at a beautiful vista in the mission, seeing about 30 children of God who have been able to be Baptized through the Lord's working through me in not even 2 years of the mission yet, and watching them all having come back to the Savior Jesus Christ and make their families more prepared for Eternal Joy in this life and Eternal Life and Exaltation in the life to come... it hasn't been an easy 15 months, but it has been the ultimate joy and highest life experience I could imagine at this point for my time on earth.

(I took this photo after having gone through the Temple for the 6th time with some of the people I love the very most in Fiji. These ARE the most special days of my life yet.)

​I spent my 20th Birthday at the Suva Fiji Temple, BRINGING more than 20 PEOPLE to the Temple.  It was the best Birthday I could have wished for.  On that special day, Riznal had his Baptismal Interview and was finally after over a year of working and praying and hoping and not giving up, he is finally able to be Baptized!  And I found that out on my Birthday!  While in the Temple in a tour with Asmin, Junior, Nafisha and Ansh, I sat down in the Celestial Room of the Temple, and it was one of the most profound and warm moments of my life.  I had a conversation with Heavenly Father in His holy house where He prophesied some very amazing blessings about my future and about my family. No gift could top the gifts that God has personally given me through the Temple.  I know that God wants you and your family there. I can testify that, even before it has been Dedicated and set apart by the living Prophet on earth, the Temple is the House of the Lord even now while it is just open for public tours.  As we go there, holiness overrules and reshapes our very nature, and we are welded in unity to our Savior Jesus Christ who is the Author of everything good in your life.  We need to be in the Temple.  I testify that the work of eternity is real.  In Temples really truly is where Eternity meets Eternity.  I have watched miracles happen right before my very eyes as people of other faiths or beloved Recent Converts have gone through the Temple with me.  One family walked into the Temple and when they got to the part of the tour about eternal family and eternal marriage, they felt the spirit of our loving heavenly Father just envelop them, and they actually stepped forward and knelt at the alter and looked into the mirrors of eternity that really have no end in either direction in that beautiful sacred room, and the husband said, "It is time for us to move forward, as a family."  They weren't members.  This story is the kind of special miracles that are happening every day here in the Fiji Suva Mission right now.  We have stopped focusing on teaching people for the time being, just so we can get the entire nation through the House of the Lord, His Holy Temple.  These free tours are more powerful than weeks of lessons with those investigating the church.  I feel so privileged to be a part of this miracle.

February 20th it will be broadcast worldwide.  If you are on the East Coast USA, it will start 10PM Friday the 19th.  The world can watch this Historic event. I will be participating.  All the Missionaries in the Entire Nation of Fiji will be on the field for part of this special national Temple Opening Celebration. 

​Almost all of the people I have been able to see come into the church through my mission, were able to go through the Temple with me.  It was one of the sweetest moments I had always wished for when I traveled there with them and heard them make earnest comments like, "I can't wait to serve my own mission."  "I promise myself that that is where I will be married."  "I promised God in my heart that I will come back to this place."  "My family should be baptized too, so they can be eternally happy, eternal family."  "I am coming again!"  "I can't imagine what my life would be like if this Gospel had never come into my life." "Can I come and do the work for my ancestors who never had the opportunity I had, to receive this message and gospel of joy? I want to do their work."  "I can't walk nicely, but, when I come here, I know it is my Father's house, so I won't be using a wheel chair when I come back.  He will take me through His house. I know He can do miracles." "This was the most special day of my life."  "Wow!  Look at it!  It is so beautiful!"  "I felt so good inside." "You brought us here."  "God has worked miracles in our lives." "We can't wait, we are just going to go right now!" and "Elder Howard, we're here together.  Think back to the first day we met, and now we're all at the Temple."

This was my last day with Elder Datoon as my companion!  In Mission Terminology, as a trainer, he is called my trainee or "son."  And I am so proud of him!  He is now leading the area I got transferred out of.  Leading 2 wards and a huge area with 15 Baptismal Dates and much to stay on top of.  He has risen to the task.  His Hindi and his abilities in the mission have just blossomed.  I love him.  Having him as my companion was a main highlight of these 2 years.  He is going forward now and doing great things. His new companion is a good friend of mine, Elder Halbert.

This is my new companion, Elder Mo'uga.  It turns out he and I were kind of almost neighbors as kids!  We were born in neighboring cities.  He is just a couple years younger than me, but his is very tall.  He is Samoan, from Utah.  He is so much like one of the best friends I've ever had--Brandon Agre(who is now serving a full-time mission in Chicago Spanish Speaking)--and has all my favorite qualities in a person I could wish for.  He is so pure and humble and willing and funny and we are always smiling and laughing about something.  He was my trainee's companion in the MTC.  He and Elder Datoon had been companions before.

My new area is my old area.  Nasinu 2nd Ward, Hindi.  All my mission (except for when I was in training,) I have been responsible for either 2 or 3 entire wards, and had to balance and juggle non-stop.   While I was doing that with Suva 1st, 3rd, and Nasinu 2nd, I enjoyed working in Nasinu.  But now I am blessed to be able to give it my full attention!  I finally only have one ward.  It has become my favorite area in unique ways.  Each area is so beloved to me and my heart is in each area, but there really is something special about Nasinu.  When I arrived into the new flat with my wonderful new missionary companion, by my request, he gave me a Priesthood Blessing.  Many things were promised and prophesied in that blessing that have just filled me with strength and vision and promise for all that is to happen in my time in this area.  I AM HAVING FUN. Wow!  It is such a unique and sacred privilege to be allowed to go back to one of the areas in the mission where you have already served--for now, I can experience being with my recent converts over there that I have grown to love just as if they were real family.  I know the Lord has great purposes in all He does. It has only been a few days in my new area, and I already see exactly how this area needed me and I needed this area.  It is perfect!

Rachel and Shaun.  We taught and Baptized them many months ago.  It is such a joy and a miracle to be WITH them now, to see how far they've come and help them go further.  They loved the Temple.  I am beside myself thinking how richly the Lord blesses us as we just trust His path and be willing to press forward whatever the next step be.

This is a family that we are privileged to be working with.  They are a miracle!  They want to be sealed as a family for time and all eternity in the Temple after they are soon Baptized and then prepare themselves.  Going through the Temple with them was a good experience. 

I celebrated my Birthday with this girl and her family.  This is a family I will come back to Fiji to visit after my mission.  This little girl's name is Kushi--meaning "Happy" in Hindi.  So, we wanted to celebrate our birthdays together because we share the same personality and name and funniness.  We sang, prayed, laughed, and had the best time with this family on the night of my birthday in Fiji. This is the Kumar family.  As we have built a deep relationship with this wonderful, beloved family, Brother Kumar the father of the family, has become the Chapel building representative and their family has just transformed.  I am so proud to have known them.  There is nothing like serving a mission.  That's why I'm going to do it for eternity.  I am an eternal Missionary--a true and everlasting Disciple of Jesus Christ the Son of God.  I have been called of Him, to declare His word among His people that they might have everlasting life. 

This is Ansh.  We celebrated his birthday as well.  He is a miracle.  Everyone thought he wouldn't survive, and we were all praying for him.  But now, his surgery cut across his stomach is fully healed up and just a scar!  He is Baptized and stuck with nothing but a smile on his face every day!  He is building his life around becoming a missionary, and going to the Temple and being like Jesus Christ by reading the scriptures every day and becoming more and more happy and kind and Christ like each day. 

"Keep the 'L' in it!"

Hey! 

Thanks for everything.  How are you?  

Was it a good week?  A lot of miracles?  A lot of struggles?  That was my week.  

How crazy how fast time is going, eh?  

Amazing week! Here's the miraculous things that are happening in the land of miracles; Fiji:

​District back in Lautoka (some members of it)

​District here in Suva (all members of it)

In our District, we have a saying... a motto, or our "thing". It came from my first Training.  Heavenly Father really tells what those District Trainings are supposed to be about.  This formula came directly from Heavenly Father as I conversed with Him about what specifically He wants of His District here in Suva.  I'll explain it; under the direction of Jesus Christ I gave a training on 2 words:

Comp... 
and
Comp...

In the district, and zone, and mission, everything depends on the companionship.  The basic unit of the mission.  You have been given your companion as someone God wants to be your very best friend.  You have the potential to make or break it.  It is all up to the unity in a companionship. It starts with Comp's.  

What comes next is what makes all the difference in everything.  There are two words, with only a one letter difference.  And that one letter changes everything.   The two words are 

Compete
and 
Complete

In our missions, coworker relations, marriage, family, all relationships in life, it is up to us whether we will keep the "L" in it.  If learned and lived, this will change our lives and relationships for the rest of our lives. This is an inspired thing to remember in all relations.

The L, is 2 words that transform and determine our companionship and unity at every level.  These two words or their absence have all the power:  

Love
and 
Long-suffering
(then we all read the definition of the word Long-suffering)


Compete with each other, 
         or
              Complete each other.  

Both take as equal work, but both don't bring froth the same results.


And so we all are so excited to "Keep the 'L' in it!" 

When we do anything, like present our goals in Zone Training Meeting with 30 other missionaries and leaders, after presenting it, I call out "Keep the L in it!" and then our whole district raises one hand in the shape of an L and does a cool whistle tune we came up with, stand for a second and then sit down as a District.

We have probably seen more miracles this week than any other week of our missions yet.  This week has been one of the weeks to remember forever, and which will very literally change forever...

_________________________________________________________________________________



I have a Question: do you know of any good group games?  Ones that don't require anything... maybe just something simple like paper and pen or coins?  I reallllly beg you--if you have aaany good ones, I will use them in a lesson here in Fiji with the natives, and in playing the game, I will give your name credit in front of them :)  i want to spice up the way we do things.  I want to use more interactive games of any good kind you can offer.  Just any game ideas you have, pleeeeeeeeeeeeease tell me :)  

What are your favorite games like that?  Just let me know. 
[bhoward@myldsmail.net]

This week, Shaun and Rachel were baptized!!  They have taken an amazing step of faith, and they are so exemplary to all of us!  They have transformed their lives.  I wish so desperately that you could meet them.  They are going to be such a big impact on the world.  They are preparing to go to the Temple when it opens, and open the way for their loved one's who have passed on, to receive the fullness of the blessings of the eternal, beautiful and Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I have found that if I couple my agency with God's power, I can do and overcome anything. 
To me, struggle is joy.  

All we have to do is keep moving deliberately forward and upward and outward.  That is all our mission is in life.  Those 3 directions go toward Christ.  Their opposites go toward every sad and bad and discouraged thing.  

I have suffered more on the mission than I have in my life ever before, but in different ways.  All of these pains, which I perhaps cannot even explain in words, have grown out to be my greatest joys and blessings and assets.  The mission is where you belong.  Either a full time mission, or the other kind of a full time mission which God has called you to in your current stage.  We should always live as if we were on a full time mission.  Live consecrated to the Lord, and this level of growth and miracles will be an inseparable component.  Choose this path in every way you can, now. 

We can define who we become in 20 years by what we become in the 2 years of our mission.  These 2 years that are currently in YOUR hands, determine the next 20 :)  Hand them over to the Lord, all the way.  That requires everything, not some things.  He can make us adequate to give it.   I have learned that if I am not graceful at rising to what is expected or possible of me, and if I gracelessly handle some things, it's okay; Heavenly Father's grace is enough.  I just have to keep myself connected to Him and do anything and everything He directs of me.  This is a daily and a weekly thing that is transforming every eternal thing: See things He sees I can change and improve that I don't want to see... be willing to do things I don't hardly believe are possible.  For it is in the realm of the impossible that our destinies are met and attained unto fully.  If you are living in a different realm, I invite you back to the zone of Children of God, that of the impossible.

Now for  the miracles:

We have 3 investigators who were personally visited by Jesus Christ or directed by Him in their dreams after first being taught by us and were told by Him that this path and message is true and is His.  It is powerful to listen to them describe it.  It is 3 households that have absolutely no connection to each other and are one different sides of Suva, and yet their visitations and dreams are all like this.  The Lord really is at the head, and everywhere in this, His true and restored church--His glorious work.  I know this is true. I know it is meant for you.  I know that the Lord lives, truly as surely as if I walked personally with Him daily.  I testify of Him boldly, and live for nothing else.  

One of the dearest families I have ever had the privilege of serving--the Bibi family--has had more miracles than I can believe.  This week, they have inspired me and surprised me every day.  Asmin and her son and daughter, Junior and Nafisha.  They live in a wonderful little humble home, and have faced immense trials and struggles in their life.  But, one day, Heavenly Father just put us in the right time at the right place and we met them and our lives and their lives have been forever changed because of it.  They used to be Muslim's.  But, since the first day they heard the message of the Restoration, from the living Savior Jesus Christ through His authorized representatives, they have dropped EVERYTHING to follow Jesus Christ.  They have made bigger and more dramatic changes than I've ever personally seen anyone do.  Heavenly Father spoke to their hearts on the first day He put us in their life, and they knew it was true.  They have given up all ties to their old lives.  Their example has helped me personally rise to a level above who I was before.  

We went over to their house to do service for this family that has become like our own family, and just cleaned up their compound all day.  Dear sister Bibi has a hard time walking, and has never been able to clean up parts of her compound.  Heavenly Father knew her heart and needs and we were blessed to be there and enjoy serving at their home.  After we cleaned up and planted and worked half the day, we later came back... she told us that after we did that service with them, she wept in uncontrollable tears of joy and gratitude to the Lord as she thanked and thanked Him.  They hadn't known that their compound was so big and beautiful.  We went home with warmth and joy in our hearts, at a level out of this world.  There's no feeling more fullfilling and satisfying than to know, Heavenly Father worked through you to meet a need you didn't know about, for the heart of one you love with all your heart. 


Junior had been holding back for weeks, and then, to our surprise, the whole family came out and told us that everything has changed and they know it is true.  The are all committed to be Baptized as a family on Oct 31.  Every impossible and impassible roadblock that was in their way from powers in and out of this world, have been miraculously removed.  We are speechless and now all of us are also doubtless.  Jesus Christ has a way over all our barriers, all we have to do is only follow Him, and that fully, now.

 This is a dog that this family has named after me.  It's name is "Coco Howard"
Haha(:

More to say, but more next week.

Look forward to hearing from you.  Let me know what I can do for you.

Love,
Elder Howard
Suva Fiji Hindi

This is a scripture case a friend of mine made for me. It's me on my unicycle with a helmet and twirling fire torch.